shellac nails

Meanings

1. 1noununcountabletrademark

   A type of nail polish that is cured under a special lamp and lasts longer than ordinary polish.

   Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun for the product: get shellac nails, have shellac on your nails.

   Patterns

   • get shellac nails
   • have shellac on something
   • shellac nails

   She got shellac nails before the wedding so they would last the whole trip.

   Shellac nails usually stay shiny for about two weeks.

   I prefer shellac nails because regular polish chips too fast.

2. 2nouncountabletrademark

   A manicure in which this long-lasting polish is applied and set under a UV or LED lamp.

   Grammar: Countable when it means one appointment or one set: a shellac, two shellacs.

   Patterns

   • get a shellac
   • have a shellac done

   I booked a shellac for Friday afternoon.

   She treats herself to a shellac every month.

Word forms

Common combinations

get shellac nails

She got shellac nails for her birthday.

shellac manicure

The salon offers a shellac manicure for a bit more money.

shellac polish

This shellac polish dries hard under the lamp.

remove shellac

You need acetone to remove shellac properly.

shellac lasts

Shellac lasts longer than most drugstore polishes.

Synonyms and how they differ

gel nails

A very similar salon treatment; the products and removal methods differ slightly, but people often use the two names interchangeably.

gel polish

Close in meaning, though gel is the general category and Shellac is one brand within it.

Word family

shellac noun

The resin product itself, also used for wood finishing.

shellacked adjective

Describes nails or surfaces that have been treated with shellac.

Commonly confused: shellac nails or acrylic nails?

Practice

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